Child support sweep nets 26 parents

Texas AG: Parents have a fundamental, moral responsibility

Law enforcement agencies arrested 11 parents Friday in Bowie County, Texas, for violating court orders to pay child support, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said.

Bowie County Sheriff James Prince and Texarkana Police Chief Daniel L. Shiner conducted the sweep with the Child Support Division of the attorney general’s office. A total of 26 parents have been arrested since Prince initiated the roundups earlier in March.

“Parents have a fundamental and moral responsibility to provide for their children,” Paxton said. “I want to thank all the law enforcement officials involved in apprehending those who were delinquent in their court-ordered child support. I encourage other parents who may owe back child support to contact my office immediately to resolve the issue.

“The latest sweep reflects the strong commitment of Sheriff Prince to track down parents who are wanted for contempt of court because of their to failure pay child support.”

Paxton dispatched six teams of law enforcement officers to locate and arrest noncompliant parents before they had a chance to leave their homes for the day.

“CSD investigators provided assistance in locating the scofflaws,” Paxton said.

Delinquent parents arrested on civil warrants face six months in jail. Cash

bonds posted by delinquent parents seeking release from jail are paid to the custodial parents and children who are owed back child support.

Parents who have fallen behind on their child support payments, but are not yet subject to warrants for their arrest, should immediately contact the Attorney General’s Child Support Division at 800-2528014 to make arrangement for payments.